1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to container transporting devices, and more particularly to a portable refuse container transporter and lifting apparatus that permits the user to transport a waste container to a refuse repository, such as a dumpster or a chute for receiving refuse, and easily lift and invert the container to empty its contents into the dumpster or chute.
2. Description of the Background Art
The disposal of waste materials in many settings typically involves the manual placement of refuse in cylindrical refuse containers of various volumes. The contents of such refuse containers is then unloaded into larger refuse depositories that are emptied into still larger refuse depositories or trucks to be transported to a suitable landfill or to a refuse transfer station.
A common refuse container may have a volume ranging from below approximately 30 gallons up to approximately 80 gallons. Some refuse containers known in the art may be attached to a wheeled platform or have integrated wheels to facilitate the movement of the container. Containers with integrated wheels often require the container to be tipped when transporting the container and can be quite cumbersome to unload when the contents of the container are heavy.
In numerous settings, such as a restaurant or school setting, the material collected in the container may have considerable weight. Waste food and remnants may often contain a high percentage of liquids thereby making the container difficult to lift and maneuver. Emptying of the container generally requires that it be lifted to a substantial height, such as the top of the dumpster, which may be approximately four to five feet in height, whereupon the refuse container must be substantially inverted at this height for emptying its contents. The weight of the container coupled with the awkward angles involved and lack of mechanical advantage, can lead to accidents, sprains, pulled muscles, and various repetitive stress forms of injury. In practice, therefore, the size and useful capacity of a refuse container used in heavy waste settings can be substantially limited by the capability of a laborer to lift and empty the container. Furthermore, the current physical demands placed on those required to empty such containers limits who may perform the task.
A number of devices have been developed to hoist and dump the contents of a garbage can or the like into a garbage truck or garbage chute to reduce the hand labor required to perform this task. These devices are normally permanently mounted to the ground or floor, or to a large permanent waste receptacle. For example, the armature of a garbage truck is permanently mounted to the body of the truck. The use of these mechanisms requires the refuse container to be moved from its original location to the location of the permanent lift and further require the container to be placed in the lift mechanism. The lift mechanism in these cases is not well suited for use with dumpsters and other refuse receptacles which are subject to movement, automated removal, or replacement, due to dumpster design variations and the possibility of damage when these dumpsters are emptied or replaced. Accordingly, these mechanisms are limited in usefulness to suitably permanent waste receptacles and locations.
Accordingly, a need exists for a container transport and lift that is easy to use and inexpensive to manufacture that can efficiently transport and hoist a container and deposit its contents into a dumpster or chute with reduced risk of strain or injury. The present invention satisfies these needs, as well as others, and generally overcomes the deficiencies found in existing equipment.